I stood and shook his hand, my stomach fluttering ridiculously. “Yes. How’s Bailey?”

“Great! Having her first baby any day now and finishing her degree.” Dev grinned, his very straight teeth flashing bright against his brown skin. With his thick, glossy curls brushing the tips of his ears, he was very handsome, and when I was younger, I’d had a bit of a crush on him. And his husband. “Misha and I are going to be the godparents.”

“Awesome!” Theodore bumped his fist again. “He’s here, right?”

“Yep. Commentating for Russian TV.”

“I hope he said nice things about his husband’s team.” Theodore laughed. “Gotta love the incestuous world of skating.”

“Indeed. He rarely pulls his punches, but Becky and Brent nailed it today.”

“Clearly made the right move going to LA to train with you.” Theodore’s smile dimmed. “I miss it there.”

“I bet. I was so sorry to hear about Mr. Webber. Hope he’s doing okay?”

Theodore nodded too rapidly. “Yeah, yeah. He’s tough. He’ll be fine!”

Dev nodded too. “I really hope so.” He cleared his throat. “Speaking of the incestuous world of skating, I didn’t expect to see you two so buddy-buddy. You’re the talk of the event. People are frankly shocked there hasn’t been bloodshed.”

That took me aback. The talk of the event? I glanced around, and sure enough a few people looked away suddenly. My skin prickled.

People were watching us? What were they saying? My pulse kicked up, though I wasn’t sure what exactly I was afraid of. I typically tried to ignore it, but gossip was in skating’s DNA.

Naturally, my mind leapt back to Anton, and the terror that it would all come out. No. Surely it would have already. It had been almost four years. Still, it was possible. Of course it was.

An iron band tightened around my chest, shame crashing through me like an explosion of lava. I’d been so gullible and weak and—

“Henry?” Theodore’s fingers touched my wrist. I whipped my hand away, crossing my arms as Theodore and Dev shared a frown.

Dev laughed uncertainly. “Hey, it’s okay. Didn’t mean to freak you out. The Gillooly thing was just a joke.”

I blinked. Apparently he’d said something else, but I hadn’t heard it in my panic. I swallowed hard. “I know.”

Theodore elbowed me. “Don’t worry. Everyone knows you’re way too honorable to have me whacked in the knee. I mean, you’re Canadian. I’m way more likely to take out a hit on you.”

“You wouldn’t do that. You’re annoyingly nice.”

They burst out laughing, and Theodore’s eyes lit up, his smile dimpling his cheeks. More heat washed through me. I hadn’t meant to say that aloud. This was why I didn’t like talking. But it didn’t seem like they were laughing at me, at least.

In fact, Theodore’s cheeks had gone pink. He said, “See? I really am impossible to resist.” He beamed at me and seemed about to say something else when he motioned with his chin. “Here’s Misha.”